- Comes he with them?
- Studied you yesterday?
- Found they the book?
- Think you it is true?
But we say instead:
- Does he come with them?
- Did you study yesterday?
- Did they find the book?
- Do you think it is true?
Exercise 6
Write in the blank space before each sentence the number of the paragraph which governs the use of the helping verb do or did in that sentence.
- ...... Slaves do not think; they obey.
- ...... Men do not obey; they think.
- ...... Do you know that two per cent of the people own sixty per cent of the wealth?
- ...... The children of the masses do not have the opportunity to attend school.
- ...... Did not every nation claim a war for defense?
- ......"We did not dare to breathe a prayer,
- Or give our anguish scope."
- ...... We do desire the freedom of the people.
- ...... We did hope that war might be averted.
Let us sum up the auxiliary or helping verbs.
184. Helping verbs are used to express:
- The different time forms—shall, will, have, had, be.
- Power to do or to be—can, could, might.
- Permission—may and might.
- Possibility—may and might.
- Obligation—must, ought and should.
- Necessity—must.
- Condition—would.
Mark the helping verbs in the following exercise: